This invention relates generally to golf training equipment and more particularly concerns a guide for assisting a golfer to properly align the golfer's body and putter in preparation for and execution of a correct putting stroke.
Golfers have, for centuries, sought ways to lower their score. On a par 72, 18 hole course, 36 strokes are allotted for putting. The putter is the most used club in the golfer's bag. Improvement in putting skill is, therefore, a major contributor to significant improvement in golf scores. Over the years, two keys have come to be widely accepted as common to the mechanics of good putting. The putter face must be square to the target line and the putter head should be accelerating at the moment of impact with the ball.
There are techniques golfers can use to achieve the correct conditions at the moment of impact. For example, the longer the putting stroke maintains the putter head in a square condition, the more likely that the putter face will be square at the moment of impact. And the longer the follow-through in relation to the backswing, the more likely that the putter head will be accelerating at the moment of impact. Also, if the putting stroke is to be consistent, the position of the golfer in relation to the ball and the target line must be consistent. The clearer the reference lines, the easier it will be to maintain this consistency. It is easier, for example, to always position the golfer's eyes directly over the ball than to always position the golfer's eyes at some point which is not directly over the ball. It is also easier to always position the feet and shoulders on a line parallel to the target line than to always position the feet and shoulders at some angle which is not parallel to the target line.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an alignment guide for practice putting which facilitates consistent alignment of the golfer's putting stance in relation to a golf ball and a target line. Another object of this invention is to provide an alignment guide for practice putting which facilitates consistent alignment of the putter head position in relation to a golf ball and a target line. A further object of this invention is to provide an alignment guide for practice putting which structurally guides the putter head in a path parallel to the target line for a substantial portion of the backswing and follow-through. Yet another object of this invention is to provide an alignment guide for practice putting which structurally limits the backswing of the putting stroke to one of several distances selectable by the golfer. Yet another object of this invention is to provide an alignment guide for practice putting which structurally limits the follow-through of the putting stroke to one of several distances selectable by the golfer. It is also an object of this invention to provide an alignment guide for practice putting which provides feedback to the golfer as to whether the putter face has remained square to the target line during the follow-through. Still another object of this invention is to provide an alignment guide for practice putting which provides physical feedback to the golfer as to whether the putter face has opened in relation to the target line during the follow-through. An additional object of this invention is to provide an alignment guide for practice putting which provides physical feedback to the golfer as to whether the putter face has closed in relation to the target line during the follow-through. Another object of this invention is to provide an alignment guide for practice putting which has putter head guide rails which are adjustable in relation to each other so as to accommodate any configuration of putter head. A further object of this invention is to provide an alignment guide for practice putting which has putter head guide rails which are adjustable in relation to a target line so as to accommodate the putting style of the golfer.